The Story of Lily Evans
by Braney
Summary: UPDATED! CHAPTER 6 IS UP! This is almost your average, run-of-the-mill Lily Evans-Potter story. Almost. It's a bit different, but adheres STRICTLY to the books. PG13 for later chapters and will go from the beginning to the end. Whenever that may be.
1. How Typical

Disclaimer, A/N, and All That Jazz

Disclaimer: Sadly (oh, so sadly), I own nothing. This story, the fruit of my hard labor, is barely even mine. The theory, and any recognizable characters, belong to the Goddess (J.K. Rowling), the story belongs, not only to me, but in bit and pieces to fae (The Story of James Potter), all4sirius (A life of 6 a world of friends), ariana (Lily), Deadly Salami (The Original Pranksters)…well, basically everyone on my favorites lists, and…well, me! By the way, read their stories. Oh, and by the way, the Hogwarts letter to follow is copied directly from the book. Please don't shoot me for doing so because I am, right now, giving endless amounts of credit to the Goddess (see note above) and, of course, much gratitude.

A/N: I promise you all that I will follow the books, even if it may not always seem like it. I am, however, quite pained to do so, because *SPOILER FOR THE FIFTH BOOK* I want Lily and James to be friends, Sirius to be happy, Sirius to live…*END SPOILER FOR THE FIFTH BOOK* Also, I won't update just for reviews…you know, no limits or anything, but I do appreciate REVIEWs and definitely don't mind when you REVIEW. That is to say that you do REVIEW, or even read. Also, I love happy, favorable REVIEWs, greatly appreciate constructive criticism, would not recommend flaming me unless you would like a lovely little A/N flaming you right back! 

All That Jazz: There really is no all that jazz, but I do love that song, and, of course, the play/movie that it came from. 

***** 

The Story of Lily Evans

Chapter 1-How Typical?

Whichever way she thought of it, Lily Evans was a regular girl, nothing special about her. Or so she thought anyway. Sure, she had some weird quirks about her, but even they weren't so unique. Well, she was considered pretty and was definitely smart (not by her sister, but she was like a horse, with the looks and brain included) and had an extremely nice, if not slightly strange, personality. Lily wasn't perfect, though. She wasn't exactly coordinated: she could almost never walk without falling, and her hand-eye coordination was less than zero. Because of this, she always seemed to have problems with any sports that involved aiming, throwing, walking, running…basically, anything on the ground. She could catch, though, as long as she didn't let her feet get in the way.

                One early summer evening, three before her eleventh birthday, Lily noticed that she wasn't the typical, boring, not-so-special girl she had always thought she was. Her parents had gone out of town for a week or so the day before, so she was kind of moping. It would be a bad enough birthday stuck with her sister Petunia, who wasn't exactly the world's best sister, but now her parents wouldn't even be there to share her birthday with her. Well, her parents weren't exactly the best parents either. They loved their daughters, but Lily was always a bit of a disappointment, and told her so often (including on all of her birthdays so far), and so they always seemed to favor Petunia. Petunia loved it; she loved being superior to Lily, and showed this whenever possible. 

                "Lily, get the post!" screamed fifteen-year-old Petunia from her bedroom window, where she was trying to spy on the neighbors, in particular, the rather large, purple seventeen-year-old Vernon Dursley, and happened to see the post van.

                Lily sighed as she got up and went to the door. In the letterbox, though, in addition to the various bills and the assortment of boring letters, she was pleasantly shocked to find a letter with her name on it. 

This could very well be her first birthday card, which made her pretty happy and lifted her spirits sufficiently. However, upon closer inspection, during which she had managed to smack herself in the forehead with the door, (earning herself some funny looks and a small bit of laughter from her neighbors), she discovered that this was no birthday card; it wasn't even an ordinary letter. It seemed to be written on a weird sort of paper (parchment, maybe?) with a funny sort of wax seal on the back involving an 'H' and assorted animals, and was addressed, in bright green ink to a Miss Lily Evans, Forgotten Bedroom, and then the rest of her address. 

Lily often referred to her bedroom as just that, 'the forgotten bedroom" because she was herself the forgotten child. She wasn't exactly the favorite: she wasn't treated specially or paid much attention or anything of the sort.

Lily cautiously opened the letter after a long moment of staring at the seal on the back. It appeared to be some sort of crest, which she tried and failed not to break as she opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment. It proved to have the most unbelievable content of any letter she had ever seen.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY 

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards) 

Dear Miss Evans,

                We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

                Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,__

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress 

"What???" Lily exclaimed. She was sure this was a joke; it just _had_ to be. Suddenly her face turned pallid. What kind of person would do that? Who would be so mean? Her first suspicions, of course, drifted to her darling sister upstairs, but Petunia detested, _loathed_ magic. It just added more to her charm. Her thoughts drifted around the block, but she knew that to be dumb. Everyone on her block was almost as simplistic as her sister when it came to magic. 

Her thoughts started drifting. _WHO COULD IT BE? _Suddenly, she remembered her school, and then chastised herself for it. She was, well, not popular, but she had a temper to match her fiery hair, so no one dared mess with her. Anyway, everyone always knew her to be smart; she was the smartest in her grade and was well known to be, while a little gullible, incredibly sensible. It just couldn't possibly be one of those kids.

Suddenly, Lily's already pale face drained to a shade that would make any albino proud. What if, just what if, it was real? Suddenly, Lily scanned the street in front of her, but if was devoid of any clues. She then let her eyes drift up, anxious for some clue, and then stifled a laugh as she discovered an official and stern looking tawny owl sitting on a lamppost (which was quite strange, weren't they usually out at night?), and a disgruntled neighbour of hers, who was swearing at the bird and wiping the droppings out of his eyes. Chancing a quick look at the street before turning back inside, she saw a most peculiar person a way in the distance. He was a giant man, about 12 feet tall, it seemed, and was carrying a bright pink umbrella. He was honestly at least twice as tall as her dropping-strewn neighbor and about three times as broad. And he was approaching her house. 

Lily quickly slammed the door shut. The scream she emitted mingled with Petunia's, who had just noticed this giant, seemed to be loud enough for the giant, who had just seen Lily. Lily quickly retreated to a corner, in hopes not to be noticed, but, of course, that wouldn't work. He knocked quite loudly on the windowpane, popping the glass out where it shattered on the floor. Petunia's eyes suddenly appeared at the top of the steps atop her long, horse like neck. She was eager to spy on this giant.

"Oh, blimey," she heard through the windowpane. "So sorry abou' that. Here, let me fix that for you." He pointed the pink umbrella that had been dangling at his side and pointed it at the glass. It fitted itself back together, though not quite perfectly. Lily, amazed, opened the door to this stranger, eager to meet him. He gently picked up the piece of glass with his hot dog-sized fingers and popped it back into the frame. "There, tha's better."

"Um, excuse me, but who are you?" asked Lily, still frightened although quite amazed with this kindhearted giant.

"Oh, yeah. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, but you can call me Hagrid. It's a bit o' an easier name than Rubeus. And everyone does, anyway," said the man.

Lily just stared rather blankly at him. He cleared his throat, hoping to make a better first impression.

"I'm from Hogwarts, you know. I'm keeper of the keys and grounds." He pulled out a large set of keys from one of his numerous pockets to emphasize this point. Lily noticed that one of them was labeled 'haunted toilet' and giggled in spite of herself.

"Wha'? What's so funny? Oh," he said, tracking her glace. "Well, I'm not lyin'. There's this ghost, Myrtle, her name it, and she haunts this toilet back at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts. That place from the letter? Just some joke, wasn't it? And what are you doing here?"

"Told you, I come from Hogwarts fer you. You need yer books."  Lily's narrowed, and then widened as she chanced a look at her right hand where the letter still lay clenched. What if it truly is a real place? she thought. "And yes, it is a real place, Lily," said Hagrid, chuckling, upon her skeptical glance at the letter in her hand.

Petunia suddenly came pounding down the stairs from her hiding place. "What are you talking about, this Hogwarts being a real place? I don't believe you." She said this quite defiantly, until Hagrid pointed his umbrella at a picture over her head, shattering it. At this point, Petunia shut her mouth and quailed.

"Whoops," Hagrid murmured, paling himself now. "Er, reckon on not telling anyone about tha' will yer, Lily. I can' do magic, legally, anyway. You won' tell, will yer?" Lily smiled a 'your-secret's-safe-with-me' sort of smile. "Good. Now, go on an' get yer supply list out, we need ter get a move on."

Lily had a questioning look on her face, but when she looked back at her letter, she noticed a second piece of parchment, listing all sorts of magical items, wand and caldron included. She suddenly believed him. But she was still questioning. Where could they possibly get all of these things? 

Hagrid, who sensed Lily's confusion, said "Oh, yeah. Yer wonderin' where to get all that? Diagon Alley, the main wizarding street. It's righ' near London," he explained. Lily leaped up and out of the door, saying to her sister, "Hey, Petty, do me a favor? Tell, Mum and Dad where I've gone. Oh, wow! I'm really a witch!" She practically flew out of the door.


	2. A Man Carved Out of Wood

 Disclaimer: I own everything that belongs to me. I own nothing that doesn't. BUT HARRY POTTER IS MINE!!!! Yeah, sure…well, I'd love to have it…*stares at the books with longing* Too bad. By the way, I don't own _Chicago._ I still love the songs, though.

A/N: I'm sorry I didn't update (Braney is most aggrieved, sirs and/ or misses), but I was out of town (in the Shaw festival, Niagara-on-the-lake--that's near Niagara Falls) and then grounded, and then …my dog died.  It's ok, because he was fifteen and a half, but it's still really sad. L. Anyways, as I do now want to depress my reviewers, I will respond to them…always. As Luna says in the fifth book *kind of a spoiler but not one anyone will really care about* "They do it for the glory, and, of course, to see their names in print."  So guess what, you all get glory _and_ get to see your names in print. Isn't that fun?

_RetroHotty44765_: Great name, by the way. Thanks! Sorry if I disappoint and don't update so quickly, though, like now. I do maintain that I have very good reason. 

_quitesirius_: Thanks! J Hagrid is one of my faves, too, so of course he'll show up early. But I'll make a deal with you: You update your story and I'll update mine. It works, because I really like yours. J

_roku_: Thank you for the writer comment. And I'm putting up a new chapter, as you can see, so everyone's happy! And about the html thing…I've tried a thousand times to fix it…well, no, like five, but NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK. Will you help me, please?

Well, I love having all of these REVIEWs. REVIEW more often. And, this is not just to my 3 reviewers, but to everybody: Will someone be my beta? Please? If you do, send it in a REVIEW or an email. Thanks! 

Cell block tango: _Today, it's Cell Block Tango. The Hungarian part, but I have no idea what it means. This is from Chicago, too_: 

Mit kersek, en itt? Azt mondjok, hogy a hires lakem lefogta a ferjemet en meg lecsaptam a fejet. De nem igaz, en artatlan vagyok. Nem tudom mert mondja Uncle Sam hogy en tettem. probaltama rendorsegen megmayarazni de nem ertettek meg.

Well, that was fun. On with the show (or story, you know, I'm flexible).

*****

Chapter 2- A Man Carved Out of Wood

Lily leaped up and out of the door, saying to her sister, "Hey, Petty, do me a favor? Tell, Mum and Dad where I've gone. Oh, wow! I'm really a witch!" She practically flew out of the door.

                Lily is a _witch_. _Lily_ is a witch. Lily is _a_ witch. Lily _is_ a witch. It was great! She could go away to this magical school where there would be magic and wizards and witches like herself…but better, wouldn't they be…well, they'd _have_ to be. They'd probably all be so much better and magical, and she'd be this little misfit. 

                "Erm, Hagrid," she said, addressing her giant companion, a whole new thought springing into her mind. "Books? You said I was going to get my books. _What_ books? From where? And…how am I going to pay for them; I didn't leave with any money." Lily, with an accountant for a father, knew how important money really was, and was all the more conscious of her lack of it.

                 "As to where, Diagon Alley in London. Jus' follow me, now," he said as they approached the train to London. "And no money?" You don't need no money. Didn' ya know? Well, yer not the firs' magical Evans, you know."

                "What?" said Lily incredulously as they stepped onto the train, causing all of its passengers to stare at her. Blushing slightly, she said quietly to Hagrid, "Not the first magical Evans? Who else?"

                "You'll see. Be quiet, now. There's plenty o' Muggles about, an' we don' wan' them hearing you."

                'Muggles?" Lily thought. She had so much to learn.

*****

                The train came to a halt shortly after, and Hagrid and Lily clambered off of the bus. 

                "Hag-" Lily began, but was silenced by the looming of a sudden, dirty building that she was sure she had never seen before in all her years on this street. It was a narrow, grungy, but friendly looking pub called… _The Leaky Cauldron?_

                "C'mon, Lily," Hagrid was beckoning to the small inn. "We need yer schoolbooks."

                "But, I thought you said…umm…Dragon Alley? Why are we going in here?" Lily responded, perplexed, but still following.

                Upon entering, Lily discovered why. The Leaky Cauldron, as it's name might suggest, was magical, which of course got Lily excited. It was her first taste of the magical world, and from what she saw, she liked it, apart from some abnormalities, like a woman who was apparently talking to a mirror and a life-like, poorly carved wooden statue of a man (a wizard?) with two dark, beady eyes, a gash for a mouth, a large black cloak around his shoulders, and a hip flask in his hand.

                "'Ello, Moody. What're you doing 'round here? Though' you were stationed 'round Hogsmeade?" Hagrid greeted the 'statue' apparently named Moody. Moody looked up, and Lily understood why she had thought he was a wooden statue. His features were all sharply cut, but instead of being a good thing, it gave him the impression of being a gnarled and contorted tree trunk. His nose seemed to be just a large hunk slapped onto his face, and his mouth literally looked like a sculptor had dropped his chisel and just slashed it into being. His heavily scarred skin didn't help much, either; it just gave the impression of knotholes. 

                Moody glanced skeptically at Lily in apparent mistrust, until Hagrid said, "Don' worry, she's alright. Molly's cousin, you know. Dumbledore sent me fer her specially. She's okay." Moody then gave Lily a searching look with those beady eyes, and apparently thought her okay because he growled, "Yeah, that's my post. Andromeda's covering it for me. I need a new Sneakoscope. Can't be too careful, you know. There've been some rumors about a spy staying around those parts. Minerva's been cast for an inside job, of course. Constant vigilance, and all that."

                "Right. Well, Moody, best be going. We got lots to buy and I was planning on checking with the Potters t' see if they've bin hearing anything." Hagrid said while steering Lily to a brick courtyard to their left, where he crossed to a trashcan and started tapping the bricks above it.

                As soon a Hagrid hit that last brick, the wall started quivering, and then a piercing light shot out of a small hole in the center, growing larger and larger until a street was visible, then larger still, forming a gap even Hagrid could fit through. 

                "Wow."

                "Yeah. Well, c'mon, you. We need ter go and find yer cousin. We'll need tha' money o' yours so that we can go get all yer school stuff. Look, there she is!"

                Lily turned and found herself staring at her 19 year-old cousin Molly with a gangly man with bright red hair. "Molly, hi!"

                Molly turned and smiled. "Hey, Lily! How are you? This is Arthur Weasley, and these," she gestured to a middle-aged couple that she was talking to and their son, about her age, "are the Potters--Harriet, Alex, and their son, James."

                "Hi. Umm, I'm okay. So you're a witch? How come you never told me?" 

                "Well, it's not _allowed._" Molly sounded very apologetic. "I could only guess you were a witch, I didn't really know."

                Suddenly Hagrid cut in. "Hello, Harriet, Alex. Jus' the people I wanted ter see."

                "Oh yes, Hagrid. Yes, urgent times. Have you spoken to Moody? Umm," Harriet Potter said, looking towards Lily and James, "umm, Molly, could you please take James to get his things," she said, with an urgently pleading look.

                "Oh, of course," Molly said knowingly. "Well, I guess, umm, Gringotts, right?"

                "Yeah," James replied while Lily gave a questioning look. "Wizard bank. Muggle-born, are you?" To that, Lily got angry. Was he already insulting her? He didn't even _know_ her!

                "What the--?"

                "It's okay, Lils. Muggles are just not magic people."

                "Oh, sorry. James, right?" 

                "Yeah. Who are you, by the way."

                "Oh, me? Lily…Evans. Molly's cous--what are they???" she asked, pointing to some small, gremlin-looking being as they walked into the esteemed bank. The "being" looked highly affronted. 

                "They're goblins," Molly said. "They run Gringotts."

                Oops, Lily thought as the goblin stalked off, angry. "Sorry!" she called to the goblin. James laughed.

                Molly approached the desk at the end of the large room. "Hi. Could we see Lily Evans's vault please, and James Potter's?"

                "Keys?" the goblin prompted. Molly gave Lily's as James surrendered his own. The trio then followed the goblin to a cart, where, after a dangerously fast downward trip, Lily and James got their…gold? Because all of the vaults were filled with gold, silver, and bronze coins, all strangely shaped. Then one fast cart ride up, and they found themselves back in the startlingly bright sunlight. Suddenly, Lily found herself in an apothecary, being supplied with potion ingredients. They she was in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, getting her uniform, followed by Flourish and Blotts for schoolbooks, many of which had wild titles. 

                "Last stop, you two. Wands," Molly said. Lily and James looked at each other, excited, but just touched with apprehension. The walked into a store called Ollivanders to find a man of that name standing behind a desk, who greeted them in an eerie voice. He then started to issue wands to the two, which we apparently wrong. Suddenly, Ollivander ran to a shelf.

                "Yes, now I know. I have the perfect wands for you." He then issued a wand each, to no effect. "No? How could I mess up. Switch!" he cried, "and give it a wave." Lily and James switched wands, and, foolishly, waved. A fountain of red sparks issued from Lily's while gold one's issued from James. "Hm…how could I give them each other's wands? I wonder…" but he didn't finish his sentence. All he did was say, "Yes, you boy, that wand of yours: mahogany, eleven inches. Pliable. It's very powerful, and particularly good for transfiguration." James smiled. He then turned to Lily, "now yours: ten and a quarter inches. Swishy and willow. Very nice for charm work." Now Lily's spirits elated. Thanks were issued from the two young people as they paid, and Molly pushed them out the door.

                "I never liked him," she said. "But come. You're gonna want some animals, aren't you?" James grinned, and Lily wondered just what was in store for her. She followed them, though, into a magical creatures shop. James found himself an owl, but Lily found herself drawn to a golden red bird, which the sign said was a phoenix. And she had to have it. She ran to pick it up, but tripped over a overlarge rat, sending cages flying. James cracked up with laughter. 

                "Great job, Lily. But you should get her," indicating to the phoenix. "She seems to like you. And they're really useful. Loyal, can carry heavy things, heal with their tears, can turn invisible. Good for you, you know," he said, while Lily paid. Once they got back to The Leaky Cauldron, where they met Hagrid and the Potters, he said, "Against the rules, too. But that'll do you some good." Lily frowned, causing James to smirk. They said their goodbyes until September 1, went the their respective guardians, and went home. The train ride home, Lily felt much better. She had made a friend for Hogwarts, and suddenly didn't feel as alone. Now her only problem was explaining everything to her parents…


	3. A Whole New World

Disclaimer: If I own it it's mine…if I don't it's not. Three guesses whose this is.

A/N: Sorry! I know I haven't updated in more days than I have teeth, but I've been really busy, not to mention unmotivated. Fist, I was on a month-long trip, then had to make up a week of school, then spend all my time with my new puppy, which is still taking up so much of my time. I may ramble in this chapter, seeing as I have no real ideas, just a general plot, but bear with me and I'll do my best.

_Kady Rilla Wholi:_ Thanks! ;-)

_FrankieBGoode:_ Thanks for the review! Sorry to disappoint about that whole quick update thing…. I'll try to be better.

_quitesirius:_ I love your reviews! They're so encouraging! And I'm glad you liked my description of Moody! Thanks!

*****

This chapter is dedicated to the awesome…the best…allie kat5, who put me on her favorites list after just two short, mediocre chapters. I love you!

*****

Chapter 3-A Whole New World

A sudden windstorm had swept up at Lily's house. As days went soaring past, so did pages, which were being flipped continuously since she had returned from Diagon Alley and her first brush with magic. The minute she had gotten home, she had raced to her room, disappearing from sight. She had so far learned her schoolbooks to the point of memorization, but school started in one more day!

Lily's sudden studying fetish dissipated into a severe urgency to be absolutely, positively, and in all other ways prepared, as well as she could be, for the next day. She packed, unpacked, repacked, and reminded her parents innumerable times that they had to get her to King's Cross station before 11 o'clock.

*****

Suddenly, it was time. She was leaving, embarking to…a whole new world. She had just given her last hugs to her parents, exchanged grumbled goodbye's with her sister, and was about to board. A few feet away, she saw James Potter doing the same. A giant wave of relief swept over her at the sight of a familiar face, so she waved and started lumbering, trunk in tow, toward the train. A brown haired, timid-looking boy was getting on right in front of her, and as he was hoisting his trunk onto the train, is slipped his grasp, falling on an unfortunate red-headed target.

"Ow!" Lily cried, pinned to the ground by the trunk.

"Sorry," the brown haired boy said, pulling off the trunk and helping her up. "Didn't mean to. It was a bit heavy."

"No kidding" She rolled her eyes. "I'm Lily…Evans, by the way."

"Remus Lupin."

"Hi."

They were now, finally, aboard the train, and looking for some compartment space. The train had just started moving, and Lily quickly glanced out of the window at her parents who were left there, standing on the platform, racing away. Lily tore her eyes away from the window when she noticed the Remus was a car away, and motioning to her to follow. She sped forward into the compartment.

"Hey, Lil!" It was James, by some luck, who was sitting in that compartment, along with a good-looking boy with black hair and a mischievous air. "This is Sirius Black, and you're Remus Lupin, aren't you?" Remus nodded. "Well," he said to Sirius, "this is Lily Evan--"

"Lily!!" The boy called Sirius cried, giving her a huge hug.

"You know each other?" James asked. Lily gave a shake of the head with a surprised look on her face. James raised his eyebrows at Sirius.

"Just being friendly…" Sirius said, looking downcast and doggedly returning to his seat.

*****

After that nice little icebreaker, the rest of the train ride went quickly, and suddenly it was slowing to a stop, and a booming voice was ushering them out of the train. Lily stuck close to her three new friends, phoenix (which she had named Yannick, after the first Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, she had read) in hand.

Suddenly, a pleasantly familiar voice called out: "Firs' years. Over 'ere, firs' years. To th' boats, now." Hagrid was calling them over, Lily recognized from a monstrous looking man emitting booming calls for first years. Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus shuffled over to his with the rest of the first years into boats, four per. Most of the students, James and Remus included, were staring at Hagrid and his enormous mass, although it didn't faze Lily anymore. The boats suddenly started to move across the lake as though (or probably) by magic, and after a short five minutes, Lily found herself staring at the most amazing and magical place she would ever see in her life.

"Wow." This became the new first year mantra, being chorused from boat to boat at the sight of this amazing castle. Suddenly, all of Lily's previous self-consciousness came flooding back. Ok, so she knew it was real; it couldn't possibly be some scheme (no scheme is this elaborate), but she know started thinking that she may not even be magical at all. Here was this place filled with more magic than she had ever dreamed about, where some of the greatest people she had ever heard of and some of the most famous mythical people had lived and learned. It seemed way too fantastic to imagine herself in the same footsteps.

A few more minutes floating and she realized that she never needed to worry. The boats had docked right near the castle, where Hagrid dropped them off and then headed up the stone steps into Hogwarts. Suddenly, another voice, sterner and younger, called out to them. She too called out, "first years", her voice as sharp as her dark black bun. 

"I'm Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor  house. In a few minutes," she said this all while ushering them up the stone steps Hagrid had just climbed, "you will go in through those doors," she pointed at a pair of grand doors, "in to the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. They are all fine houses and, once sorted, will become your homes and family's within Hogwarts. Good luck." The doors opened, and they were ushered inside.

The 'wow' mantra started up again, to smirks from a few of the older students. A few of the people from Slytherin house, Lily noted, were waving to Sirius from his table, but he just scowled and looked away. Professor McGonagall place a stool in front of the new students, and on it a tattered, ripped hat, which had just started to sing:

Many of you know me,

Though some of you do not

But to me the elders don't matter,

Because the younger ones are sought.

I am here to sort you

In houses rich and true

My choices all are perfect.

I promise they'll suit you.

To my brave new young ones

I promise Gryffindor.

But if you've strong brains in you

Then Ravenclaw, you're for.

Those hardworking, ambitious first years

You'll live in Slytherin.

But you honest and loyal

In Hufflepuff you'll be in.

Don't be scared, just go and try

It's perfectly okay

But unless you put me on,

This song won't end today.

All around the hall, people were clapping, and before Lily knew what was happening, the first name, "Black, Sirius", was being called. Lily smiled for her friend when he finally got into Gryffindor, which seemed the best house. 

Suddenly, it was her turn. Where had the time gone? She approached the stool, but in her nerves, tripped and fell flat on her face. The hall rang with laughter, but Lily had more important things to think about. She put on the at, and heard it whisper in her ear:

"Smooth…very smooth." Lily scowled at this. "Oh, ok, just want to get down to business. Sounds like a Slytherin." Lily's scowl became more pronounced. "Maybe not." Well, you do have a brilliant mind, you know. Very loyal. Hmm…oh, wait, but that trip. You humiliated yourself, but didn't care. Very brave, girl. Why I remember when a little boy…name Merlin, I think, did just about the same thing. Model Gryffindor, he was. You're a bit like him, you know…hmm…" Lily was now increasingly bored, and was sending all her thoughts to the hat in the form of 'hurry up, will you? And get to the point.' "Fine, be that way, girl. GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily sighed in relief, and sat down next to Sirius, who was yelling catcalls at her. She turned back to the hat, and saw that Remus and James had also been Gryffindors, and then Headmaster Dumbledore stood up.

"Hello, everyone, especially my new first years. I have many a good announcement, but there are better times to tell you. First, eat!" Food suddenly appeared on gold plates on the tables: the most amazing food Lily had ever seen. What to do but follow Dumbledore's instructions, then? She hungrily ate everything in sight, and only managed to think about the little tripping incident (after which James and Sirius decided to rename Lily "Elf" for 'elegant little flower') 100 times, so that by the time Dumbledore stood up to talk again, even the teachers were calling her Elf. But that didn't matter…Dumbledore's words didn't matter. She heard no instructions or names of teachers; she barely heard the dismissal. All she remembered was crawling into bed in her dormitory, sleepy and so excited for the next day.


	4. A Brush with Magic

This chapter is dedicated, without doubt or contestation, to the absolutely awesome Juli, alias Padfoot Hoshi. Read her stuff, write reviews like her, email reviews to me when fanfiction isn't working, and I promise you will have a dedicated chapter just like her.

It is also dedicated to Dreamer101(Sorry, Rachel!!) as an apology for kicking her out……Sorry! Even if you don't read this….

*****

Chapter 4—A Brush with Magic 

Lily woke early the next morning…too early. In fact, it was almost 3:00 that the unfortunate first year bolted upright. Soon after, so did the rest of Gryffindor, awoken and petrified by her high piercing yelp. About two inches from her face and mooing bizarrely was a small, strange man in a revolting bow tie. Behind him were Remus, James, Sirius, and a boy she didn't know from about the same age, not to mention the entire of the Gryffindor girls.

"Sorry! It was him! He was…_mooing_ at me," she said lamely.

"Peeves," groaned a girl in the crowd as the prefects dispersed the crowd, skirting the steps and finding their dormitories. James, Remus, Sirius, and the boy stayed for a bit of a laugh.

"What the hell?" a voice came from the bed next to Lily's. It was a girl, Valerie Miri, who had _just_ woken up. Talk about heavy sleepers. Lily pointed to the quickly retreating Peeves. "Oh, yeah. I was talking to Max Calman…that boy over there…last night at the feast, and he said his brother had told him about that guy. His name is Peeves, and he's Hogwarts' resident poltergeist." She was now standing up and coming over to the boys, who were gathering around on assorted beds, people, and furniture objects.

"Get off me!" Lily cried as Sirius sat on _her._

"Sorry…didn't see you. I thought I was sitting on a stick." Lily hit him over the head. "Angry little stick, aren't u, Elfie?" Lily pushed him onto the floor.

"How did you get up here? I thought I read boys couldn't get into girls' dorms." Lily wasn't so sure her knowledge was correct, taking the hour into account.

"Yeah, well, we told a group of second-years that it sounded like our friend was being tortured, and they levitated us up." Sirius responded, grinning.

"Anyways," Remus said. "What should we do now, seeing as _someone_ has jerked us oh-so-kindly from our sleep?"

"I know," James said, deviously planning…something. Max raised his eyebrows at him. Sirius' eyes brightened in excitement.

"Count me out," Valerie said.

"Yeah," Max agreed. "I don't like that look."

Lily rolled her eyes. Sure, she was a bit skeptical, but whatever. Since Peeves' little scare, she was a bit hungry (even after that feast), and from what she had gathered from her short time with James, Remus, and Sirius, food would probably be involved.

*****

The boys had all shuffled out and left Lily to get changed. During that time, however, Valerie had practically passed out on her bed and Max was already dead asleep at the foot of Lily's. Apparently they really _weren't _coming. They couldn't even lift an eyelid.

Lily rolled her eyes as she opened her door to the dorm. At least, she _tried_ to open the door to her dorm. It was stuck, and it was barely opening an inch. Outside the door was a small, mousy-brown haired boy with a pointy nose. He was crumpled up on the ground, but he definitely hadn't been minutes before when James, Sirius, and Remus had left. Her guess was he was one of the many spectators to the "Peeves Incident", and from the colorful bruise forming on his head, she guessed he was listening at the door while she was talking to the boys, but had then been hit in the head. With the door, probably. Oh, well. Well, she did feel _kind of_ bad.

"Whoa! What happened to Peter?" Lily saw Remus's head appear at the foot of the girls stairs. 

"Oh. Um, I dunno. I found him out here. I'm guessing assault by inanimate object."

"Oh, oops." Remus came up the stairs with a bit of difficulty, it now being a slide, and disappeared into his dorm. When he returned, he had a cup of water in hand. A second later, he had a cup of air in hand, and Peter was none to happy.

"Pete! Glad you could join us here today in the land of the living…and waking…" Peter growled at him. "No need for that. Well, c'mon. You hungry?" Peter shook his head 'no.' "Really? Well, that's just because you haven't eaten enough." He pulled a confused Peter by the feet down the slide. Lily laughed and followed them into the Common Room. 

Stepping inside, Lily was surprised she hadn't noticed it last night. It was _giant_, not to mention a startling shade of gold and scarlet—the house colors. It was dark, glowing ominously by the dying fire, but was really ominous was what was standing in front of the fire. James and Sirius.

"Okay, so, where to?" Remus asked.

"I'm thinking kitchen," Sirius said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm thinking detention," Lily replied.

"Nonsense, Elfie. Look what JJ here's got!" This time James hit Sirius, but also showed Lily the silver cloak in his hand.

Peter gaped. "Is that an invisibility cloak?" With that, James swept it over his shoulders.

"And presenting the new line of invisible fashion. Perfect for late night exploits around the dark halls of Hogwarts…for _one _person." Sure Lily was sarcastic, but it was just to keep up. Everyone else came from a magical home, so she didn't want to sound amazed. It was amazing though. James's head was floating along just above eye level, but no, this happened everyday.

Remus grinned. "Cool, James. But Lily here's right. It can only fit you."

"Well, I'm not waiting around here all day. _Engorgio!_" Lily smiled smugly as the cloak swelled enormously, enough to fit the five of them in a squeeze.

*****

James in front ("Hey, it's my cloak), and Peter in the very back, the five of them were shuffling down a hallway on one of the lower floors. The only sound was the noise from Peter's footfalls (he was a foot-shuffler). Oh course, there was a little bit of trouble getting down the stairs, seeing as there was a high concentration of people under the cloak, and Lily wasn't as graceful as her nickname entailed. But shuffling along under the cloak, following stairs as Sirius kept intoning ""This way…c'mon. My cousin told me about it once." 

Apparently Sirius wasn't listening too well when his cousin was talking, but he managed to find it just the same.  It's not as though he ignored his cousin on purpose, mind you, but rather as instinct. They had heard a few voices at the end of the hallway, and they shuddered to think about what would happen if they got in trouble on the first day, so they pulled the cloak more tightly around themselves, then cautiously proceeded. 

They were walking down a corridor floors below Gryffindor tower when Sirius suddenly stopped, sending Lily flying. 

"Sorry, Lils," he said while James rushed to help her up and get her back under the cloak, "But we're here!"

"We're where, Sirius? This is a painting of fruit." Lily was starting to think she should have been more selective about her friends.

"No, this is it. It's behind the painting," he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "And, I think, umm, yeah….we're supposed to make it laugh…?"

'Here we go…' Lily thought condescendingly…

*****

They were standing there for 20 minutes telling jokes, tripping over things, doing any sorts of comedy they could think of to no prevail. Nothing worked. Lily was terrified that the sound of their stomachs would wake some teacher or alert some ghost. That wasn't quite the reassuring thought they wanted.

"Oh, come on!" James was practically screaming at the painting. "Come on, you dumb little portrait, you. Open up!!!"

They started trying new tactics that were branching into the obscure. 

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?" 

"Interrupting Cow."

"Interrupting Cow wh--

"MOOO!!!"

They were trying for the pity laugh. Also didn't work.

"Oh, come on, you cute little fruit bowl," Lily tried while tickling the fruit all over. The second her hands started tickling the pear, it started squirming and giggling, forming a green door handle, which they pulled.

"Way to go, Elfie!" Remus congratulated her as they walked though the open portrait. 

Going through the portrait, they found the enormous kitchens, exactly as big as the room directly above it, the Great Hall where they had been sorted just some hours before. The preparation tables, located directly below the House Tables, were right then festooned with muttering Elves, and in the far corner a gong was ringing, and with each noise there came: "Wake! Wake! Wake!" One elf leaped out of  a corner and started shouting "Get up!!! Get up!!!"

"Get out!!! Get out!!!" Peter whispered frantically, pivoting back to the now-closed portrait and pulling the other humans with him.

"Oh, young masters! We is so glad you came to find us poor House Elves. Would yous be wanting something to eat? Anything? Iffier* will get whatever you want."

Peter had a dubious look on his face, but his amazement won out. Remus and James were already ordering the sun and all of its friends, and then there was Sirius, crossed with a strange look. It was something like hatred with a look of bad memories and mixed with the knowledge that this was different…something was different. Lily didn't know how she felt. Who were these people? Why were they serving? And so happily?

*****

James and Remus had already acquired quite enough food for all of the first years and a good number of the second years, so whatever Sirius, Peter, and Lily thought about the topic, they were still nicely nourished.   

Slipping the cloak back on, they thanked the house-elves and started walking. Thanks to their brilliance, they discovered that the kitchen was directly below the Great Hall, and so they could at least use that as a reference point. That was all they knew, though. They were wandering around, looking for the only other landmark, the marble staircase, when Lily spotted something on the ground near them. The boys hadn't seen it, this parchment like the letter she had gotten; they were instead debating the direction in voices that all but invited the teachers to them. They had stopped listening to Sirius and his cousin long ago. Lily bent down of the pretext of tying her shoe, then inched the parchment near her and whisked it out of sight into her robes. She was almost silent all the way back to the common room, waiting for a chance to read it. 

*****

*Iffier is from my other story. I did say it was a perfect name for a house-elf.

Disclaimer: Ah, yes. To disclaim. Dis- meaning not. Claim meaning to take as your own. Therefore, I disclaim. I do not own.

A/N: I seem to be chronically late…I feel so ashamed. At least it's a longer chappie.

Oh, yeah…just an aside. I am an avid Princess Bride freak…book, movie, whatever. If you  can find the reference (entire reference: who, what, where, when, why), which is starting in this chapter but will be **very** hard to find until the end…well, I will give you a cameo or dedication or whatever. You have to know the book pretty well to catch it though.

By the way, I **need** a beta!!! Can't you just tell? Please, please, please! You will get endless praise in every chappie!

**quitesirius:**Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it. I always pictured Lily and Sirius meeting like that…now it's in words. By the way, my story and my Lily aren't really so great or original. Lily is based, almost in her entirety, on me…you can't make up that sort of "grace". Even the names and other characters are my friends or nicknames or my friends' nicknames…sad, isn't it? **Kady Rilla Wholi**: Thanks! J**Padfoot Hoshi**: Thanks!! You knew I loved it, though, I couldn't have rambled that much for you not to know…You're awesome, Juli! J **DanielLover4Lyfe**: I meant do write! Really, I did! Please forgive me…I must atone. What can I do to get your forgiveness? I'll apologize! I'M SORRY!!! Well, then, that being said, thanks!!! **Samhain13**: Why, thank you. You know I try…

Also, I have a new story up. It's called As Told By Spell Check. It's basically Shooey (my computer…don't ask) being strange and stupid while responding to Harry Potter things. According to my many reviews (well, compared to this story), it is very amusing. But I'd rather you read this one, you know, the actual story. REVIEW!!! 

Happy Holidays!


	5. Beginnings

This chapter is dedicated to my new and awesome beta, **quitesirius**. She is a fantastic writer, one of my favorites, and my favorite person of the week. READ HER STUFF!! SHE'S AWESOME!!

*****

Chapter 5—Beginnings

Lily woke a bit too early for her liking after her previous night's exploits. She had only had about three hours of sleep, which didn't bode well with her. Still, she was exhilarated. She'd broken a rule! A few, probably. 

A bell was ringing, and though Lily had initially still been excited about her rule-breaking, it was getting on her nerves. She got up and was hurrying around getting dressed when she noticed that Valerie was _still_ sleeping in a dead-like sprawl.  Max was gone, though, thankfully. Lily went up to Valerie, trying to wake her, but soon discovered how impossible that could be. Remembering Remus last night, she went to the bathroom and filled a cup of water. As Lily approached, Valerie bolted upright. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Valerie, who was a frightful sight in the morning, shrieked.

"Waking you up," Lily said, taken aback. "Breakfast starts in fifteen minutes and we still have to find the Great Hall."

Valerie was racing now, to Lily's amusement. She was running back and forth in the dormitory muttering to herself. "Is that my hat? No, sorry. Where's my sock? Did I leave it on the cat again?" Those were the only discernable snippets. She then sped out of the dorm, calling back to Lily, "What are you waiting for?"

Lily groaned and followed. 

As she turned the corner to exit down the staircase to the Common Room, she was surprised to see the boys lounging around on the armchairs. "We heard some screeches coming from your room, so we thought we'd wait to ask you about it," said Remus.

"Don't ask."

*****

Thanks to the previous night's exploits, finding the Great Hall should have been easier, and it was, compared to some of the other first years, but they were still getting close to nowhere. They knew that if they found the marble staircase, they would be done. The only problem was the sinking suspicion that the staircases _moved_. Upon passing a portrait of a strange man, they decided to ask for help. The portrait was in a gilded frame and in the bottom corner, a small gold plaque read: 'The Family Portrait of St. Mungo, founder of 'St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.'

"Are you St. Mungo?" James ventured to ask.

"No, I am his brother, St. Mango*. My brother and the rest of my family are in their numerous other portraits. They are quite famous enough to have multiple ones. I, on the other hand…"

"Oh, well then," James smothered a snicker at the name and confusion at the monologue. "Well, could you tell us the way to the Great Hall, possibly?"

"Ah, of course. Go back up this staircase, turn left, follow the hall to a stone pedestal with Sir Elphaby's head on it, run around it two and a half times, go down the staircase it reveals, turn right, left, and there'll be a marble staircase. Take that—"

"Yes, we know from there. Thank you," Lily's mouth said, but her brain said 'Damn, damn, damn!"

*****

Somehow or other, they managed to find it. They were panting slightly upon entering the Hall, but all had a slight feeling of pride, just touched with annoyance. It was a good thing they weren't really hungry. Well, Lily wasn't, or Remus or Max. Sirius, Valerie, Peter, and James, however, ate like it was worth their entire O.W.L. grades. After his mini-feast, Sirius seemed to have warmed to the house-elves quite nicely, grumbling about only one in particular, Kreacher, but no one really knew who he was talking about.

Finally finished stuffing his face, he and his friends looked to Dumbledore, who had just begun to speak.

"I realize now that I never spoke last night. Well, welcome. You'd think I'd have remembered that. First things first, I'd like to introduce our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, professor Andromeda Tonks."

Sirius did a double-take. "That's her! That's the cousin I told you about!" 

Dumbledore looked towards the outburst at the Gryffindor table, chuckling. "Thank you, Mr. Black, for that. But please refrain from shouting such things; I'm sure she's disappointed with the recognition as your cousin." Andromeda was laughing openly; Sirius was defiantly blushing.

"In addition, the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is forbidden to _all_ students. I would also wish to advise caution of the Whomping Willow on the edge of the forest. It is a priceless tree and could be severely injured in the process of whomping you." His eyes twinkled. "Also, Quidditch tryouts will begin next week, Tuesday for Ravenclaw, Wednesday for Hufflepuff, Thursday for Gryffindor, and Friday for Slytherin." James and Sirius grinned excitedly at each other. "Second to Seventh yeas _only_." They looked a bit deflated now. "With that out of the way, welcome back!" He gestured to select teachers, McGonagall among them. They began passing out timetables to their respective houses. 

Lily looked at hers and smirked. This was going to be interesting.

*****

Because _some_ people couldn't stop stuffing their faces, the seven raced into Defense Against the Dark Arts with negative minutes to spare. 

"Well, well, well," said a voice from the shadows, "of all classes to be late for, you pick mine? Sirius, I'm offended." 

"Sorry, umm, _Professor_," Sirius sounded strained. "We got… lost."

"Well, I'll forgive you this time, but…" A sudden smile spread across the Professor's face. "Take a seat, please. Now, because it took so long for you to grace my class with your presence, you could kindly be first in a little ice breaker I was just starting to explain." Now speaking to everyone, she said, "We'll go around, starting over _here_," She looked pointedly at the seven. "and everyone will then say their name and one fact or secret that no one else would know. Don't worry, this will be fun. _Mr.__Black_?"

"Fine," Sirius ventured, looking a bit unsure. "Well, I am, of course, the esteemed Sirius Black. Okay and, what? Something you don't know?"  Professor Tonks nodded. "Um…well, I did….no, not that…um….Professor, care to set a precedent?"

"Big word. Alright, since we have to get this over with. Sadly, I am related to this miscreant over here. Did that clear anything up?" she laughed as she said it. 

"Plenty. Okay, fine… I...have broken almost all major bones…mostly mine…and am on a first-name basis with many of the staff at St. Mungo's." He seemed proud of this as he shared it.

"I'm sure you have," Tonks said, writing a note next to his name on her attendance sheet. "And you?"

"Well, I am James Potter, best friend of Sirius Black, and I have been the cause of many of Sirius's broken bones."

"Good for you," Tonks smiled while writing a note next to James's name too.

"I'm Remus Lupin, and…" he seemed to be struggling with finding something he was willing to share. "…I am part wolf." Tonks looked thoughtful while the class laughed, doubting him. 

Smiling sheepishly, Lily volunteered, "Lily Evans. I can't ride a bike." People laughed at this too.

The class went round and round, being stopped occasionally by the professor or a flying joke, including: "I accidentally have eaten crayons (Peter)," "I spray painted my cat to protect him from the cat mafia (Valerie), and "I once had a dream that I was being chased by a giant pair of scissors wearing neon-pink slippers (a boy named Frank Longbottom)."

"Excellent," Tonks answered after hearing testimony from a girl who only recently learned that not all snowmen are evil. "Now, for the lesson. Kindly take out your wands, and we'll start with some simple, basic defense…"

*****

Heading towards History of Magic (it was break, but they didn't want to get lost and be late), the group was talking animatedly about the lesson.  
"You're cousin's a really cool teacher!" Remus exclaimed.

"No kidding. She _is _my cousin." Sirius never seemed as modest as he was on that day.

"Expelliarmus," Lily said, pointing her wand at him. His wand flew into the air, and James caught it. Peter, lagging a bit behind, let out a small laugh.

"Oh, yeah. Very funny." Sirius grumbled, slowing down to stand next to Peter and drawing himself up to his maximum height.

"Yes, it was. At least Lily could do the spell," James said, looking at Peter's quivering frame.

"Expelliarmus," Sirius said to James, seizing his wand from the air. "Thanks for the wand."

"Mr. Black, 5 points from Gryffindor. No magic in the halls," mentioned caretaker Apollyan Pringle in passing, staring beadily at a gaping Sirius.

*****

History of Magic was a _big_ contrast from their exciting and funny Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. The only part of mild interest was when the ghost teacher, Professor Binns, burst in from his office through the blackboard. No one could tell if he had anything to say that was worth staying awake to listen to; he talked in such a flat drone that the class could fall asleep, and he was so unaware of his surroundings that the class could be juggling arsenic and he would never know. Not that they ever tried, of course.

Following the lesson, as good always follows bad, was lunch. The students, now very well rested, spoke animatedly about Tonks and quite a bit harshly about Binns.

Remembering Tonk's lesson, James and Remus had to bodily drag Sirius away from his lunch, much to his disdain. If he made them share any _more_ secrets, he would be hard to forgive. After lunch the group headed across the lawn to double Herbology, located out in greenhouse 1. This class, they soon learned after watching the rest of the students entering, was doubled with the Hufflepuffs, some of whom Lily recognized from the Sorting the night before. The professor was a light- haired, round-faced, squat woman who called herself Professor Sprout.

Sprout was a bit scattered in her teaching, but very dedicated and passionate about her subject. However, few of the students were as thrilled with it as she was. It was interesting enough, but in that first lesson she spent a bit of time with the explanation of magical plants and their uses. After she finished her lecturing, everyone gathered around for basic care of magical plants, which was substantially more fun because there was actual activity involved; it was also funnier because the seeds and fertilizer kept going flying, thanks to Lily.

*****

The rest of the week passed without too much incident. Sirius and James got their first detentions for lighting Peter's cauldron on fire ("It was an accident, we swear!"), Remus got his first detention in Astronomy by being half and hour late because James and Sirius tied him to one of the armchairs in the Common Room, and Lily gained 10 points for Gryffindor in Charms and Transfiguration (an extreme feat from Professor McGonagall to give out points in lessons) by mastering the spells of levitation and transformation, being further rewarded with no homework. The rest of the class had to practice Transfiguring matches into needles to be ready to show the class at their next lesson. James and Sirius also had certain skills. They could, at least, manage to give their matches pointy, silvery ends. James probably could have achieved more, too, if he didn't keep trying to light Valerie's ponytail on fire.

*****

As much fun as Lily was having in her classes, which was a shocking thought, she couldn't wait for the week to end.  They were a ton of fun, but between them and the boys' pranks and homework, she really had no free time at all. That meant no free time for the parchment she had found.

Crawling in to bed and shutting her curtains, she feigned sleep until she was sure there was no one still awake. Then, from underneath her pillow, she pulled out the parchment to see words that shocked her.

_Dear __Severus__,_

_How dare you contact your mother? Did you think I wouldn't find out? We don't care about you. I sent you away for a reason, you meddling, sniveling scum. Stay out of my business with you mother! I can only even tolerate you because you are now a Slytherin, but you disgust me. You think your House is a point of shame? I didn't raise you like that; it's Slytherin or Durmstrang. I figured you could accept being in Slytherin. I can't even imagine the disgrace if you weren't, LIKE YOU MOTHER!_

_                -Father_

_*****_

A.N: Thanks for your reviews, and especially thank you to quitesirius for beta-ing. J

Oh, also, sorry to say, I had to delete my other story (which got many more reviews L) because it was a list an apparently illegal. *That's where the St. Mango thing comes from. Oh well. Please **review**. Thanks! I greatly appreciate **review**s, especially your **review**s. 

Up in Chapter 6: Response to the letter, possibly a fun Halloween surprise. I might even bring in Peter.

Happy Holidays (again)!


	6. Halloween

This chapter is dedicated to the wondrous J. K. Rowling, a goddess in her own right. I think she deserves it. Also, whoever put me on their favorites list, you get a dedication, too. Thanks! See the A/N at the end for the rest of my gratitude. I love you!

Also, this is "Halloween" revised. It's overall a better one, I hope: errors corrected, dialogue added, the works. Not much, but I hope you like it.

* * *

Chapter 6—Halloween

It was dark. Lily found herself surrounded by this cool, damp gloom, lost and terrified. She wandered manically in a blind panic, ignoring the scrapes she endured trying to find her way out. Suddenly, she turned what she could only assume was a corner, following what little spark of light she could see. Then a cloud lifted from over her eyes and she was rooted with fear or some magic spell; unable to try and help or run away.

Twenty feet in front of her, but seemingly unable to see her were three shady figures: A man, a woman, and a child. The former was standing over his female counterpart, beating her viciously, deaf to her screams. Until it all stopped. The woman lay unmoving at the feet of the boy, who looked about Lily's age, although she couldn't tell, as his face was in shadow. He seemed familiar, though. He was staring with blind eyes, unable to believe what he had seen._Murder_. His mother's murder! He let out a shriek in his pain that almost knocked the frozen Lily backward, but she still couldn't move. Then the man slapped the boy in the face, screaming at him to shut up while pulling out his wand. Lily found her voice and her limbs as she made her way to the pair.

"Stop!" she'd cried. "Please stop!" But then the man turned his wand on her, and peered at her through two gaping holes where his eyes should have been.

* * *

Lily bolted into consciousness, struggling to control her labored breathing before she woke up everyone in the dormitory. She lay on her back thinking about the dream, the recurring dream she'd had so often during the two months since she'd found that letter. The boy in her dream was obviously Severus Snape, and the hateful man his father, but Lily was petrified that the dead woman of the dream may actually be a reality, because the blood had never been as dark or the screams as clear as they were that night.

'Relax,' she told herself. 'It's just a dream. It's Halloween that's been making you so crazy. After the celebration, you'll be fine.' She normally loved Halloween, but as a new witch, she was a little bit nervous because everything about it now seemed much more real. But it would be fun, she knew, with all of the decorations and the food, not to mention quite a show she was hearing rumors about that would be put on by the ghosts. And pie.

"Chocolate pie…" she whispered softly, trying to keep that thought in her head as she wafted slowly back to sleep.

* * *

Lily, for the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, awoke to the sound of Valerie screaming. It was odd to be the torn from sleep from such a shriek when so often she caused it in her many attempts to wake up Valerie every morning: with water or music or even live spiders.She scrambled to find the opening in the hangings around her bed, hearing the other girls doing the same.

"Valerie?"

"Are you okay?"

"Where's the fire?"

"AHHHH!!!" was Valerie's only reply.

Lily burst out first and saw what Val was screaming about. It was her new—

"RED AND GOLD STRIPED HAIR!!!" Valerie cried out, her face matching her stripes.

"Oh…my…god!" Jakirah, one of Lily's new friends, shrieked. "Valerie? What did you do to yourself?"

"I didn't do it!" Valerie whined. "I don't know who did."

"Well," said another girl, Kristen, who was the eternal voice of wisdom, "Try washing it out. I mean, we still have a while 'til breakfast; I don't think you'll be late. Here, Lil, Jaki, come help."

They followed, trying all manner of things, even the bottle of_Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover_, but to no avail. They quickly fixed themselves up and forced Valerie into her uniform before facing the problem again.

"I think its fading," Lily tried. All she got were looks. "Or not."

"What do I do?" Valerie whimpered.

"Why don't you just wear your hat all day?" Kristen asked, trying to be helpful.

"Ew! No way! I'd rather be striped."

"Well," Jakirah put in, "Then, you could just leave it. I mean, don't you want to be different?"

"Different?" Valerie was skeptical.

"Yeah. It'd be fun. I mean, it's better that Slytherin colors, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, but I could never be this different and live to tell about it."

"No time like the present for learning, then," Lily said.

Valerie groaned, but allowed herself to be pushed out of the door and down the suspiciously slide-like stairs to the Common Room, where apparently_someone_—or rather some three—had been breaking and entering. It wasn't just the slide that told the identities of who committed the hair-massacre, but also the couches, where James, Remus, and Sirius were waiting smirking, whispering, or even laughing openly. The name Valerie seemed to come up often.

"Wow, Val. What'd you sleep on?" Sirius said with mock innocence on his face, causing James to snicker as Remus fought back a smile.

"You! You filthy, wormy b--" Valerie was cut off when Kristen and Jakirah caught her arms to keep her from pouncing on her harmless, yet guilty, "friends."

"Valerie, let me handle this," Lily said. "I don't trust you. Hold them, please."

The other girls grabbed the boys to keep them from moving: Kristen had Remus's tie, Jakirah had James's long, unruly hair, and Valerie had Sirius in a headlock.

"Ow!"

Lily worked fast, borrowing Valerie's idea and pen, and writing quickly in silvery green_Mr. Treaflow's Brightest-Colored, Singing, Washable Voice Activated Marker: For You're One-Day-Only Voice-Locked Messages_all over each boys face. She grinned at the result as she traded high-fives with the girls and returned Valerie's fabulous marker.

The boys broke free of their respective holds and ran over to a mirror in the corner. Seeing nothing, they smirked, and were about to say something when Valerie growled and started toward them, so they just shut up and ran.

* * *

Oh, what a fun day that was. Valerie's hair issues lay forgotten as they concentrated on enjoying every last bit of their well-earned revenge. It started out with a bang. The boys had arrived at breakfast minutes before the girls and were already munching on enough food to make a dozen house elves drop dead out of the happiness of having served so well. They were too busy stuffing their faces even to talk, for a while.

When Valerie, Lily, and their friends walked in a few minutes later, it all began.

"Hey, Valerie, nice hair!" was heard coming from all over the hall, especially from the Slytherin table.

"Yeah, Val. That demented zebra look is really in this year," James said. Suddenly on his face, green letters formed into the words 'I'm an idiot and should be in Slytherin.' To add insult to injury, not only was that written on his face in luminescent lettering, but also being sung out operatically from the ink itself.

That was just the beginning. Any time James, Sirius, or Remus opened their mouths, the same thing would happen over and over, much to the boys chagrin. It was fine during History of Magic, where they were mostly sleeping anyway, but during Double Charms, where they were learning a new spell, levitation, it was particularly painful. By the end of the day, Valerie was perfectly happy again, maybe even proud of her hair, while the boys were practically to the point of going to McGonagall and asking her to turn them all into turtles just so they could hide in their shells. They had endured endless teasing, not to mention murderous stares and threats from Slytherins because of the insults written on their faces. Not to mention that the five of them: Lily, Valerie, Sirius, James, and Remus, had all gotten detentions, Jakirah and Kristen only losing 15 points each.

"Alright, truce?" James yelled over the spell. "We're really sorry. Will you take off the spell; I can't hear myself think, even!"

"You think?" Valerie said, acting shocked. Just then, Lily walked in through the portrait hole. "Lily, we may have seriously done something to him: he's been_thinking._" Lily gasped.

"You're funny," James said. Valerie smiled, pleased. James walked up to Lily was a forced look of innocence on his face. "Will you talk to her? I'm really very sorry, and I was thinking--"

"Yes, I heard," Lily quickly shot back. Valerie gave an appreciative laugh, as did Sirius and Remus, who were watching the scene almost as one would watch a movie.

James forced himself to continue, now facing Valerie. "As I was_saying_," he said pointedly, "I'm sorry. Please get this stuff off my--" Sirius cleared his throat loudly, "—our faces, and we'll get that stuff out of your hair.

"Done," Val agreed.

"This way, please," James said, bowing in the direction of his dormitory. Valerie raised her eyebrows. "We have the antidote, oh striped one." Lily smirked and followed her friend to the most chaotic dorm in the castle.

Arriving up at the top of the boys' staircase, Lily suddenly felt like Dorothy from_The Wizard of Oz_for a moment. Right in the beginning, when her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, Lily can only imagine how messed up the house must have been. This room was a lot like that. Lily even thought she saw a munchkin, but at second glance realized it to be Peter, the short, squat boy from the kitchen exploits on her first night at Hogwarts. He had been tagging along after James, Sirius, and Remus for some time, idolizing them, and they were just starting to really take notice of him.

"Isn't it spectacular?" Sirius gloated.

"It's insane." Lily and Valerie were shocked. In their dorm, it was usually a bit messy, but it didn't look like the battlegrounds of Troy. In the girls' room, mostly you could find magazines, robes, schoolwork, and the occasional wand or cat, but in the boys' dorm, any single item in this mess could have eaten every one of Kristen's cats and still had room for Yannick the phoenix_and_her owner.

"_This_is a_dorm_?" Valerie was shocked. "It looks like a garbage dump."

"Yeah, yeah," James replied.

"It's a masterpiece." Sirius grinned. "But Pete, don't just sit there. Get up and greet these two lovely ladies." Peter rolled his eyes and shuffled out, a flicker of a smile on his face.

"God, just fix my hair before I pass out. What is that smell, bubotuber pus?"

"Yeah. We're planning on using it in some of our more complex pranks. Follow me." James headed off to the bathroom, followed by Valerie, Lily, and then Sirius and Remus. The bathroom looked almost more catastrophic than the actual dorm room, but it was hardly even worth mentioning anymore. Lying on the sink in the bathroom was a bottle marked_Havor's Hardly-Humble Hai- Hue: The Antidote._

"Alright, now you have your antidote. Just for insurance, fix us first. I_really_don't trust you two." Remus was pretty smart, because, truth be told, Lily and Valerie didn't trust themselves either.

"But I wanted to leave you this way for the feast," Lily fake-whined.

"Yeah. What's scarier than the Slytherins?" Valerie put in.

"Well, that git Severus Snape, for one. He knows more curses than I've even_heard_of," James said. Lily got a sudden sinking feeling somewhere in her stomach.

"_And_his hair is so greasy it could be an ice-skating rink." Everyone laughed but Lily, who felt suddenly sick. They couldn't know about that letter or her dreams, but still.

"Lily?_Hello?_How do we get this stuff off?" Sirius was done laughing and was back to business.

Lily jolted back to reality. "Oh, yeah." She picked up the first clean washcloth she could find. "It's called a little bit of water--" she ran that washcloth under the faucet "and a little soap." She then poured the soap onto the washcloth. The boys were dumbstruck at how easy it was.

Valerie laughed. "So how does this stuff work? 'Cause if my hair stays this way I'll kill you."

"Just wet your hair and rub it in. Just don't miss any spots."

"Great. Now let's get out of here!" Lily and Valerie ran, eyes watering from the smell, into their dormitory, where they had their first breath of fresh air in minutes.

* * *

By the time lunch ended and it was time for their afternoon class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, both Valerie and the boys were talking regularly again, anger mostly gone, because now both of their heads were clear. By the time the feast rolled around, they were chatting animatedly about Snape again, who seemed to be James's particular nemeses.

"He is such a….a troll!" James exclaimed as they walked the halls—almost expertly after those two months—to the Great Hall for the feast. "I mean, I accidentally walked into his compartment when I was trying to find one on the train over and he tried to curse my head off. I swear, there's something wrong with him!"

Lily knew that there was, and had decided while listening to this conversation to try and talk to him, or help, or something. "Hey, you guys, I'll meet you in the Great Hall, okay. Save me a seat."

She ran back up the marble staircase to her dormitory, then finding what she was looking for--under her pillow where she had left it--she retraced her steps to the feast. She walked over to the Slytherin table, trying to find Snape, but she didn't see him anywhere. Her friends, however, did see her, and dragged her outside to talk to her.

"What the hell was that? Why are you talking to the Slytherins?" Lily couldn't tell if her friends were mad or worried.

"I was just—hold on, I think I see him." Lily ran off down near the lake, where Snape was sitting under a beech tree near the lakes edge, reading. Lily walked up to him as her friends ran after her, and he stood up, wary.

"What do you want, Evans?"

"Um, well, I think this is yours." She handed him the parchment. "And if you ever want to ta--"

Snape grabbed the parchment out of her hand and then pulled out his wand so fast, Lily didn't even know what to expect. "Stay out of this, mudblood._Nafalee!_" he cried, jabbing his wand out. Lily was thrown so far back with the power of the spell; she landed in the lake, and because of the spell, couldn't even fight her way free. She couldn't breathe! She was going crazy, her lungs were burning, and_she couldn't even breathe._Everything went dark as she sunk lower and lower.

* * *

Just a comment. Jakirah and Kristen are Lily and Valerie's roommates and have been the whole year; I've just never seen fit to mention them before.

Also, the Lily/James/Valerie "You think, he thinks…" is based on a very memorable and funny scene in_Wicked_. I doubt I did it justice. But I didn't write it, Winnie Holzman did.

Well that was fun, throwing in a little terror/mystery, girliness, pranks, Halloween (well, there would've been, but Lily seems to be missing out on the feast now, isn't she), and the rat. What will she think of next?

Thanks, quitesirius! You make my stories better, and you even still**review**ed. Read her stuff!

Also, just today as I was in the mood and had the time (I was in Israel for weeks and working, so give me a break.) to_finally_update (by the way, I probably won't update very often, but much more often then this), I discovered that this story is on some people's Favorites lists. I am so incredibly happy that few things short of…well…getting taken off of those lists could ever bring me down. :-D. I want to dance, or sing, or ask 'what the hell is wrong with you people?' But thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

**quitesirius**Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!**Padfoot****Hoshi****(who is lazy, lazy)**Thanks! I love your reviews. They inspire me. I don't know why.**Kady****Rilla****Wholi**Thanks! I'm glad you thought it way funny. Some of those stories were even true, at least partly. But the cat mafia, that was all me!**reena-blue**Thanks a ton! I'm glad you like it, and I'm sorry about the Sirius/wand thing. Maybe he grabbed James's? Or has some unseen talent? Um, well, if you like accurate, go for either this generation, because it's fun to write on, or maybe something completely new, like (I can't think of examples now, sorry) maybe a scene that the books just skip over. You know, make them real but also accurate (if that makes sense). Keep**review**ing and I'll be sure to read your story when it's up.

Please**review**some more. It quite makes my day!

Up in chapter 7- Reactions to the spell, the lake, and a nicely plotted revenge.


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